I didn't know this about Vera Wang (I don't like wedding dresses) but how fascinating. I've been a late bloomers all my life, still am at 55, and much of what you say here resonates deeply.
At the beginning you say that late bloomers often don’t know what they’re preparing for and work blindly towards their goals, but the advice you distil from Audrey Sutherland and Chris Gardner seems more deterministic: you need a goal and you need to ask yourself what’s the next step.
Looking at all your examples though, are you saying it’s less about the specific goal, and more about the style of living within a life where you’ll inevitably have some goals? I struggle to put a word to it: an openness perhaps? An outwardness? With Audrey Sutherland and Chris Gardner, for example, it’s not specifically what they achieve that I think worth emulating (I want to be neither a stockbroker nor a kayaker), but more how they achieve it, within the context of their lives. It’s like there’s a freedom there despite the fact they had enormous challenges and constraints.
It feels to me like in all the examples you give, the people are driven, but not necessarily driven by a single ‘thing’ that would define them, rather they are driven to explore – with some intensity – what they find before them. And so when new opportunities arrive, they do them, they know what to do next. That’s not to say they knew what would work. They could never have known that. But it’ll turn out in the retelling that’s what it was. And of course, we hear their stories and love them. I’d be tempted to call that some form of virtue, but I’m not sure that’s right.
Well stated Gary (and obviously Henry lol), I thought the same....that the tying belief was motivation towards "something more, something cohesive of one's soft and hard skills" (not to be to technical I suppose).
I’ve been revisiting Beowulf here with John Halbrooks. The great hero was a late bloomer. Nobody thought he’d amount to anything. Not quite the same as leaving a previous career or two, but related. Beowulf encountered the right champion and the right challenge.
It’s weird, foreign for me to think of it this way! I’m not old, by any means. I’m 24. I think of myself, and am referred to as a “late bloomer”. It’s hopeful for me to think of it as ‘just keep pushing’ - keep exploring! It’s hard to accept as in the age and generation of the internet that I can take it slow? Thank you, food for thought forsure!
While I agree with you! I think being gen Z, and majority of my peers feel overwhelmed by all the option! It gets to a point where it’s like oh I can do so much! I’m so overwhelmed!! I’m so overwhelmed I’ll just look at people doing what I want do instead... and then feel bad that I’m not doing it...? I love the concept of to just keep exploring your life! A lot of people my age think this is where it ends !? I had a roommate who had to accomplish everything he set out to do by 25! In this sense, I think the internet is detrimental to my generation, probably having something to do with growing up using it as it was rapidly growing with little to no supervision perhaps 🤔
I can see that, esp the reaction to being overwhelmed. But feeling like you're done at 25 is not so new. Milton wrote a sonnet about it---https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44744/sonnet-7-how-soon-hath-time-the-subtle-thief-of-youth
Oh!! I love it, I love when across history and time we all relate to each other 😭 it would be nice if we could do away with being accomplished and just hangout! I really like the concept of amateurs, that we can be perfectly imperfect in our craft!
I have found these posts to be deeply inspirational, in the sense that late bloomers are being seen and talked about. If you’ll excuse an autobiography, I feel like there are lots of reasons why one is a late bloomer. I think partially with me it is due to heritage, and circumstance. My father’s side of the family, according to the family historians, all seem to die “far from home” after a lifetime of near ceaseless wandering. My mother’s side of the family were either fearless businesspeople or late bloomers. I have no head for business, but there is a certain romantic naivete which borders on the fearless in ceaseless wandering, and so that is what I did, over many cities and as many countries.
As I said this is partially circumstantial, or maybe environmental, as well. I grew up in Great Yarmouth. It a violent place, which I was no stranger to, and perhaps as a result it is not a place where one sees success outside of the material: There are people who make money, in contrast to those without money, but there is no manifestation of this success outside of ostentation, which I have always been rather repulsed by. What I suppose I mean to say is that there was nobody like myself I could follow into a success which I could understand.
Despite, or perhaps because of, extreme childhood precociousness I failed school and was deeply unhappy there, despite a ravenous intellectual appetite, which has remained with me. So, like Christoper Isherwood’s open camera I wandered, and absorbed, all the time being assumed to possess great schooling and a stellar career, neither of which, to my deep shame, I had (although I never admitted as such).
What changed it for me is that I saw my wife follow a path from graduate school to international career, and the realization - from witnessing her work - that I could easily do the same. Thankfully , for all late bloomers, there is The Open University, and during the opening phases of the present pandemic I decided I would study an LLB (Hons) and follow the path my wife pioneered for me. I am graduating at 47 with a 1st. And even though I was diagnosed with cancer half-way through my studies, preventing a law career in England, it hasn’t really dented my confidence that - given the chance - I can do that enigmatic IT which eluded me for so long.
Apologies for the long response. Please take it as a note of gratitude for your writing about this subject.
Great topic. The older I get, the more I’m thankful for all the experiences I’ve had. I have goals I’d like to meet, and I love the idea of “what can you do to work toward them today?” as well as knowing that even if I don’t achieve those goals, there might be another or others I don’t even know about yet. Life is full of possibility. Looking forward to reading the book!
There's so much hope in this piece, that all the preparation of our lives can come to something, that we can pull the threads together to make something new for ourselves when we're ready. I've bookmarked this to read when I feel like I'm flailing, to be reminded that maybe I'm not.
This post feels very apt to me today. So many of the people I write about did their most notable work in later life. That's something to celebrate, and it's great that your forthcoming book does just that.
This is so interesting for me. And the suggestion that the "late bloomer" idea is illconsidered is very useful. We do different things at different stages and phases of life because we are better equipped for them. When I was in my 20s, I floundered a lot until I took training as a pastry chef, and I did very well for a long time. But you need to be pretty young to hold up to that kind of work because it's very physical; no way I'd be able to spend 10 hrs a day on my feet now, let alone heave around 80 lb bags of flour. But while I was doing that I was reading all the time, and my long period as a writer and researcher wouldn't have been possible without that preparation. Then 15 years as a journalist/researcher gave me a unique set of skills I'm using now to write about Christian Sacred art. But during that journalisting time in Rome, I was taking classical academic drawing classes for four years. Then when I left that work, I took a single class in egg tempera painting, and started getting commissions right away, because of the public profile I'd amassed in my core market. Now that I think of it this way, it doesn't feel like I "wasted" all that time before finding the "right" thing. It all feels much more like a continuity, and natural, correct development.
I didn't know this about Vera Wang (I don't like wedding dresses) but how fascinating. I've been a late bloomers all my life, still am at 55, and much of what you say here resonates deeply.
She’s super interesting! So glad it resonates.
This stuff is so fascinating.
At the beginning you say that late bloomers often don’t know what they’re preparing for and work blindly towards their goals, but the advice you distil from Audrey Sutherland and Chris Gardner seems more deterministic: you need a goal and you need to ask yourself what’s the next step.
Looking at all your examples though, are you saying it’s less about the specific goal, and more about the style of living within a life where you’ll inevitably have some goals? I struggle to put a word to it: an openness perhaps? An outwardness? With Audrey Sutherland and Chris Gardner, for example, it’s not specifically what they achieve that I think worth emulating (I want to be neither a stockbroker nor a kayaker), but more how they achieve it, within the context of their lives. It’s like there’s a freedom there despite the fact they had enormous challenges and constraints.
It feels to me like in all the examples you give, the people are driven, but not necessarily driven by a single ‘thing’ that would define them, rather they are driven to explore – with some intensity – what they find before them. And so when new opportunities arrive, they do them, they know what to do next. That’s not to say they knew what would work. They could never have known that. But it’ll turn out in the retelling that’s what it was. And of course, we hear their stories and love them. I’d be tempted to call that some form of virtue, but I’m not sure that’s right.
Exactly so, driven but not to a specific goal--that is emergent.
Meaning the final goal sort of coalesces the closer you come to it, as you progress through whatever you're doing. This is certainly my experience.
Well stated Gary (and obviously Henry lol), I thought the same....that the tying belief was motivation towards "something more, something cohesive of one's soft and hard skills" (not to be to technical I suppose).
I have a section on virtues in the conclusion
I’ve been revisiting Beowulf here with John Halbrooks. The great hero was a late bloomer. Nobody thought he’d amount to anything. Not quite the same as leaving a previous career or two, but related. Beowulf encountered the right champion and the right challenge.
Oh I hadn’t thought of that, very nice
Henry, this is first-rate writing. It's given me a lot of food for thought.
Glad to hear!
It’s weird, foreign for me to think of it this way! I’m not old, by any means. I’m 24. I think of myself, and am referred to as a “late bloomer”. It’s hopeful for me to think of it as ‘just keep pushing’ - keep exploring! It’s hard to accept as in the age and generation of the internet that I can take it slow? Thank you, food for thought forsure!
What is the internet for if not to enable more of us to do things in our own way?
While I agree with you! I think being gen Z, and majority of my peers feel overwhelmed by all the option! It gets to a point where it’s like oh I can do so much! I’m so overwhelmed!! I’m so overwhelmed I’ll just look at people doing what I want do instead... and then feel bad that I’m not doing it...? I love the concept of to just keep exploring your life! A lot of people my age think this is where it ends !? I had a roommate who had to accomplish everything he set out to do by 25! In this sense, I think the internet is detrimental to my generation, probably having something to do with growing up using it as it was rapidly growing with little to no supervision perhaps 🤔
I can see that, esp the reaction to being overwhelmed. But feeling like you're done at 25 is not so new. Milton wrote a sonnet about it---https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44744/sonnet-7-how-soon-hath-time-the-subtle-thief-of-youth
Oh!! I love it, I love when across history and time we all relate to each other 😭 it would be nice if we could do away with being accomplished and just hangout! I really like the concept of amateurs, that we can be perfectly imperfect in our craft!
well we don't have to be accomplished, but everyone has talents and it is sad not to use them, I think
Living my second act now as a late- blooming writer. Great piece!
thanks! glad to hear about your second act
I have found these posts to be deeply inspirational, in the sense that late bloomers are being seen and talked about. If you’ll excuse an autobiography, I feel like there are lots of reasons why one is a late bloomer. I think partially with me it is due to heritage, and circumstance. My father’s side of the family, according to the family historians, all seem to die “far from home” after a lifetime of near ceaseless wandering. My mother’s side of the family were either fearless businesspeople or late bloomers. I have no head for business, but there is a certain romantic naivete which borders on the fearless in ceaseless wandering, and so that is what I did, over many cities and as many countries.
As I said this is partially circumstantial, or maybe environmental, as well. I grew up in Great Yarmouth. It a violent place, which I was no stranger to, and perhaps as a result it is not a place where one sees success outside of the material: There are people who make money, in contrast to those without money, but there is no manifestation of this success outside of ostentation, which I have always been rather repulsed by. What I suppose I mean to say is that there was nobody like myself I could follow into a success which I could understand.
Despite, or perhaps because of, extreme childhood precociousness I failed school and was deeply unhappy there, despite a ravenous intellectual appetite, which has remained with me. So, like Christoper Isherwood’s open camera I wandered, and absorbed, all the time being assumed to possess great schooling and a stellar career, neither of which, to my deep shame, I had (although I never admitted as such).
What changed it for me is that I saw my wife follow a path from graduate school to international career, and the realization - from witnessing her work - that I could easily do the same. Thankfully , for all late bloomers, there is The Open University, and during the opening phases of the present pandemic I decided I would study an LLB (Hons) and follow the path my wife pioneered for me. I am graduating at 47 with a 1st. And even though I was diagnosed with cancer half-way through my studies, preventing a law career in England, it hasn’t really dented my confidence that - given the chance - I can do that enigmatic IT which eluded me for so long.
Apologies for the long response. Please take it as a note of gratitude for your writing about this subject.
Glad it means something to you :)
Also, I would like to upgrade to a paid membership but I cannot seem to - have you ceased accepting them?
I have them paused while I make some back end changes — hoping to turn on again v soon!!
Great topic. The older I get, the more I’m thankful for all the experiences I’ve had. I have goals I’d like to meet, and I love the idea of “what can you do to work toward them today?” as well as knowing that even if I don’t achieve those goals, there might be another or others I don’t even know about yet. Life is full of possibility. Looking forward to reading the book!
There's so much hope in this piece, that all the preparation of our lives can come to something, that we can pull the threads together to make something new for ourselves when we're ready. I've bookmarked this to read when I feel like I'm flailing, to be reminded that maybe I'm not.
Glad to hear it! You may enjoy the book also...
I've had the pleasure of meeting Chris Gardner. Inspirational man, I left that dinner buzzing at the possibilities in the world.
Oh wow must have been amazing!
Terrific article. You write very well. Its universal message resonates Whitman’s advice to “seize the day.” Thanks.
Thanks!
This post feels very apt to me today. So many of the people I write about did their most notable work in later life. That's something to celebrate, and it's great that your forthcoming book does just that.
Many writers and many significant women yes, Ann Clough is a good one
Henry, this essay is a blessing. Maybe you can appreciate my story. I just started my Substack newsletter (Spiritual/Skeptical/Classical) and this is the maiden essay: https://jenburkeanderson.substack.com/p/from-this-precipice-i-jump-with-trembling
Thank you and thanks for the link
Henry, thanks for such a thought provoking and uplifting piece. Looking forward to reading more!
Thanks!
Loved this. Preordering the book!
Thanks! Hope you enjoy it!
This is so interesting for me. And the suggestion that the "late bloomer" idea is illconsidered is very useful. We do different things at different stages and phases of life because we are better equipped for them. When I was in my 20s, I floundered a lot until I took training as a pastry chef, and I did very well for a long time. But you need to be pretty young to hold up to that kind of work because it's very physical; no way I'd be able to spend 10 hrs a day on my feet now, let alone heave around 80 lb bags of flour. But while I was doing that I was reading all the time, and my long period as a writer and researcher wouldn't have been possible without that preparation. Then 15 years as a journalist/researcher gave me a unique set of skills I'm using now to write about Christian Sacred art. But during that journalisting time in Rome, I was taking classical academic drawing classes for four years. Then when I left that work, I took a single class in egg tempera painting, and started getting commissions right away, because of the public profile I'd amassed in my core market. Now that I think of it this way, it doesn't feel like I "wasted" all that time before finding the "right" thing. It all feels much more like a continuity, and natural, correct development.